Apparatus for windmill starts in gas turbine engines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBarton H. Snow, Frank R. Homan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A torque converter is interconnected between the fan and core rotor of a turbofan engine such that the speed of the core rotor can be boosted from windmill speed to a speed sufficient to allow an in-flight start by selectively extracting power from the windmilling fan during the start sequence of the engine. Control logic is included to automatically drain the oil from, and thereby unload, the torque converter whenever the engine is in the operating speed region. Further assurance is provided by an overrunning clutch which decouples the system when the core rotational speed exceeds the converter output.
Claims11
An improved air-start system for a turbofan engine of the type having compressor rotor and fan rotor assemblies independently driven by separate turbine means wherein the improvement comprises a torque converter drivingly connectable between said compressor and fan rotors during periods of in-flight windmilling such that the fan can be made to impart rotary motion to the compressor to accelerate it to a speed sufficient to accommodate an air start.
An improved turbofan engine of the type having a compressor and a fan adapted to bypass a portion of the airflow around the compressor during engine operation, and separate turbine means for driving the compressor and fan, wherein the improvement comprises a torque converter connected at its one end to the fan rotor and at its other end to the compressor rotor for imparting rotary motion during periods of in-flight windmilling from the fan to the compressor to accelerate it to a speed sufficient to accommodate an air start.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.